Washington (CNN) – House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said Friday that history has shown that tax cuts produce deficits, not jobs, and questioned the patriotism of those at the receiving end of generous corporate tax breaks.

"All this talk about tax cuts. The – in the Bush years the Republicans said that tax cuts will produce jobs. They didn't. They produced a deficit," Pelosi told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.
When Crowley responded that two wars also contributed to the deficit, Pelosi assented, "two unpaid for wars."

"What are these people not patriotic?" Pelosi continued.

"They want their special interest tax cuts, and they don't want to pay for the war in Iraq to protect our great country and our freedom," Pelosi said in an interview set to air Sunday on CNN's State of the Union.

Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill later clarified that she “was referring to those who do not pay their fair share of taxes - like Big Oil with their billions in tax breaks as well as companies who receive tax breaks to ship jobs overseas."

Taxes have become a major sticking point between Democrats and Republicans in the negotiations to raise the debt ceiling, which Treasury Department officials have said the federal government is set to reach on August 2.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, withdrew from the negotiations Thursday, saying Republicans had reached an impasse with Democrats over the issue of raising taxes.

Democrats have called for removing special tax subsidies for corporations, arguing that any effort to reduce the deficit will be moot without a significant increase in revenue. But Republicans have balked at the proposal, which they say will harm an already struggling economy.

"There is not support in the House for a tax increase, and I don't believe now is the time to raise taxes in light of our current economic situation," Cantor said. "Regardless of the progress that has been made, the tax issue must be resolved before discussions can continue."

The White House announced Friday that President Barack Obama will join Vice President Joe Biden in meetings Monday with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, to discuss the negotiations.

Biden has thus far been spearheading the negotiations on behalf of the administration.

Updated 6:14 p.m.

Watch State of the Union with Candy Crowley Sundays at 9am ET. For the latest from State of the Union click here.

soundoff(21 Responses)

What was unpatriotic was increasing the nation's debt by 40% and blowing it in ways that did not meet their objectives. This is what the Obama Pelosi Reid Washington spending machine did in a completely partisan way in 2009 and 2010. Not only that, but they signed off on a debt ceiling and then spent their way right past it and now want to raise taxes so they can increase it again. Really? In spite of the fact that the last $4 trillion did not come close to satisfying what was promised? Americans are not as stupid as Democrats apparently think we are. We showed that last November.

June 24, 2011 06:20 pm at 6:20 pm |

Shari from Madison

Republican's are refusing to drop tax cuts for the rich because they are supposed to create jobs, but history proves this is not the case. I wonder if they really are just protecting the corporations who have bought and paid for them. It sure seems that way to me. I am so sick of Republicans who would rather see the weakening middle class and the working poor pay more taxes so those who are rich don't have to pay any.

June 24, 2011 06:26 pm at 6:26 pm |

mj

Guess we have to read the fine print before imposing massive tax increases on Small Business. Obama is protecting GE and other MAJOR corporations and Unions while taking every last dime of your local Deli, Salon, Pizza Parlor, Flower Shop, Mechanics, ... Why is Obama doing this – they can't afford a plate at his Campaign Fund Raising Dinners.

June 24, 2011 06:32 pm at 6:32 pm |

Republican Robber Baron

Paying ones fair share indeed is the MINIMUM to be even considered as "patriotic". Yet the rightie extremist wrap themselves in the flag – while they constantly complain about how they hate (our) government and how they have to pay taxes.
Yet the wealthy did not ask for , nor need the Bush tax cuts that plunged our budget solvency off a cliff – so the righties can justify eliminating Social Security and Medicare or just about any government program that is good for the middle class.

June 24, 2011 06:36 pm at 6:36 pm |

R.J.

Teapublicans aren't unpatriotic. They are treasonous that's what they are, greed-is-good corporate lackeys waterboarding America and blaming the opposition for the disastrous results. And they've snookered the electorate for waaayyy too long with untruths (enhanced white lies) and diversions, doing a long-running smoke-and-mirrors' performance. Wake up, America. Wake up!

June 24, 2011 06:37 pm at 6:37 pm |

Sniffit

"400 American families have a combined wealth greater than the combined wealth of 150,000 Americans"

Correction: I missed three zeros...tha should read "400 American families have a combined wealth greater than the combined wealth of 150,000,000 Americans" (yes, that's about half the country)

June 24, 2011 06:38 pm at 6:38 pm |

W l jones

If it weren^t defitic and tax we would all be speaking German if anybody would been around. Tax and spend only way for us to get this economy moving again. Bless.

June 24, 2011 06:44 pm at 6:44 pm |

kayla

so, tax welfare is good for the big oil companies? i guess it is time for the repugs to pay the piper. since all these rich company support their campain.

June 24, 2011 06:45 pm at 6:45 pm |

Thankfully Independent

God this hurts to say, but Nancy Pelosi is right on about tax cuts, the deficit and patriotism. The country went into a spiral because of the Bush/GOP backed tax cuts for the rich. They just made the rich richer and did not produce any jobs in the U.S. It's been a downward spiral since. It's time for these fiscal parasites to start paying their fair share.

June 24, 2011 06:46 pm at 6:46 pm |

Jennifer

For the love of God. If she thinks it's so patriotic to pay excessive taxes, why doesn't SHE pay more in taxes. Or take a pay cut. Or give up some of her plush benefits.

Do as I say, not as I do. That seems to be the overriding mantra of our government.

June 24, 2011 07:09 pm at 7:09 pm |

Len Smith

Oh, to have Speaker Pelosi back. We need her leadership badly.

June 24, 2011 07:13 pm at 7:13 pm |

david

thats right i know corporations dont feel any real patriotism but its time to remind people the clinton tax rates worked and produced 23 million jobs for Americans we have got to go back!!!

June 24, 2011 07:48 pm at 7:48 pm |

duckbutter

wow does she look old....nancy is right tax those billion and millionares.... they got it...

June 24, 2011 08:07 pm at 8:07 pm |

TomNPitt

Not a big fan of ole Nancy, but she speaks the truth. Everyone wanted to fight the wars to get back at the Muslims. But nobody wants to pay for those wars. Especially the Oil Companies that have benefitted the most from all this turmoil in the Middle East. Think of how much has been spent there over the year, just to keep the oil "available". Destroying age old governments to disolve the unions between the oil in the ground and the people who benefit from the revenues. "Our" desire is to make that oil "available" to the corporations and away from the citizenry. Pay your taxes Rich Man!!

June 24, 2011 08:12 pm at 8:12 pm |

Johnny DC

Raise taxes and then what? We're supposed to believe they won't spend even more of our money and ask to raise the debt ceiling yet again? Three strikes and your'e out – only in this case, the Democrats in Congress have had more like 20 strikes. The spending needs to stop, along with the tax increase demands.

June 24, 2011 08:19 pm at 8:19 pm |

Ashu

I was thinking the exact SAME thing today as people were discussing Republicans withdrawing from deficit talks because of tax hikes being on the table. It is EVERYONES Patriotic duty to pay taxes. Yes we have overspent and we can argue who caused more spending till we are blue in the face and cut spending till there is no programs left.. the deficit and the debt will still be there.. time now to pay up.. for all of us.

June 24, 2011 08:26 pm at 8:26 pm |

Henry Miller

"All this talk about tax cuts. The – in the Bush years the Republicans said that tax cuts will produce jobs. They didn't. They produced a deficit,"

No, what produced the deficit was excessive spending by both Bush–that insanely expensive prescription-drug give-away and unnecessary, insanely expensive, wars–and the usual Democratic wastage of huge gobs of other peoples' money. That, in turn was likely what started scaring businesses away from hiring.

June 24, 2011 08:31 pm at 8:31 pm |

Squealy

Taxes must be raised to increase revenue. Some cutting will also be necessary. The debt ceiling must be raised to prevent worse from happening. These are the simple facts. Where are the grown ups in all this?

June 24, 2011 08:41 pm at 8:41 pm |

Rick H

The arguments dems put up just keep getting dumber and dumber and dumber. Why on earth would anybody think giving the likes of nancy pelosi (we have to pass the bill before we can know what's in it) more money to waste is a good idea?

The dems will NEVER cut the deficit, they will just spend more. Look at the dem senators wanting more "stimulus", even after the last stimulus found that the jobs "weren't as shovel ready as they thought".

June 24, 2011 08:59 pm at 8:59 pm |

Root and stem

God she is looking old. It will take decades, if ever, to reverse the damage this vile creature has inflicted on the United States of America.